Cotter pin



F, SCHAEFER COTTER PIN Filed May 9. 1923 INVENTOR Patented Oct. 28, 1924.

UNITED STATES FREDERIC SCHAEFER, F PITTSBURGH. PENNSYLVANIA.

corren rin.

Application filed May 9, 1923. Serial No. 637,706.

To all lwhom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, FREDERIC SoHAnrnR, a citizen ofthe United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny 6 and State oi' Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cotter Pins, of which the following is a specification.

yThe invention relates to cotter pins of the general type disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 10 1,393,139 to Kiesel, and the object thereof is to improve that type of Cotter p-ins to the end that they may not be easily removed from structures in which they are used.

The invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings of which Figs. 1 and2 are elevations of one form of cotter pin, the views being taken at right angles to each other; Fig. 3 a transverse sectional view taken on the line III-III, Fig. 2; Fig. 4L a View corresponding to Fig. 1 showing a modification kof construction; and Fig. 5 a transverse sectional View taken on the line V-V, Fig. 4.

The cotter pin provided according to this inventionlincludes a pair of resilient arms and a head integrally connecting the arms at one end, the free ends of the arms being provided with outwardly-extending shoulders for retaining the pin in position. The

free endsof the arms are, by reason of the resiliency of the material from which the pin is made, urged yieldingly away from each other, and a locking dog is so arranged between the arms that, when. the pin is being inserted in an opening, the locking dog does not Iprevent the free ends of the arms from being sprung toward each other, and that, after the pin has been inserted in an opening, the locking dog may be moved to a position between the free ends of the arms to prevent their being sprung inwardly.

While thepin may be variously constructed,

it is preferably formed from a single strip of resilient metal, channel-shaped or semitubular in cross section, with the concavities of the two arms facing each other and forming an opening extending longitudinally of the pin. The locking dog is arranged in this opening and preferably takes the form of a block of metal slidably borne or supported by one of the arms. Suitable means are provided for holding the locking dog in its alternate positions.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the pin is formed from a single strip of channel-shaped metal and comprises a pair oi arms 1 and 2, the up-per ends of which are integrally connected to each other by a head 3. The lower ends of the arms are provided with outwardly extending shoulders 4: and 5 which, when the pin is in use, bear against the wall surrounding the end of an opening in which the pin lies, and thus obstruct the removal of the pin. A locking dog 6, in the form of a substantially cylindrical block of metal, is arranged between the arms 1 and 2 and is slidably connected to arm 2 by means of a headed pin or rivet 7, the shank of which lies in a slot 8 formed in arm 2 and extending longi-A tudinally thereof. That the presence of the head of pin 7 may not interfere with the insertion and removal of the pin, the portion of arm 2 adjacent the slot 8 is depressed as indicated at 9.

While a pin is being placed in an opening, the locking dog is held in the uppermost po sition indicated in Fig. 1, preferably by a pair of detents 10 and 11 pressed inwardly :from the body of arm 2. After the pin has been inserted in an opening, locking dog 6 is moved to the lower position indicated in Fig.

1, and for this purpose the central portion of head 3 is preferably provided with an opening y12 through which a suitable tool may be 'inserted to drive the locking dog lpast detent 11 to locking position, thatis to say to its position between'the free ends of the arms. The locking dog is held in this kposition by and between overhanging lips 13 at the ends of the arms and detent 11. In such position of the locking dog the free ends of the arms may not be sprung inwardly to remove the pin. However, this may be done by placing a tool between the Jfree ends of the arms and driving the locking dog back' Wardly to its uppermost position.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 arms 21 and 22 and head 23 of the pin are of the same general form and construction as in the pin previously explained. For slidabiy supporting a locking dog 26, the edges of arm 22 are provided with inwardly turned flanges 15 which lie in grooves 16 formed in the sides of the locking dog. The locking dog may be held in its upward position between detents 27 and 28 which correspond with the detent 10 and 11 of Fig. 1, and may be held in its lowermost position by and between detent 28 and overhanging lips at the ends of the arms. In this form of construction the locking dog is moved to and from its alternate positionsv in the saine manner as explained with reference to the pin oi' Figs. 1 and 2.

rlhe improved vcotter pin may used to connect lids to journal boxes, as shown in said Kiesel patent, as well as for any other speciiic purpose. vVhen a pin has been placed in position and its locking dog moved to prevent the free ends lof the arms from being spinng inwardly, the pin may not be accidentally removed. Fnr'thermore, it can` scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced by other forms of constructions than those particularly shown and described.

claim as my invention: H

l. A cotter pin comprising a pair of resilient ar'ins and a head integraliy connect'- ,in'g the arms at one end, thefree ends of the arnrs being urged yieldingly away from each other and being provided `with outwardly-extending pin-retaining shoulders, a locking dog arranged between said arms and movablly `borne by one oit' them, and ymeans fonretaining theloclling dog in` alternate positionsor" permitting the-free ends of the arms to be and preventing them from being sprung inwardly.- A

2. A cotter pin comprising apair of resilient arms and a head integrally connecting the arms at one end, the tree ends of the arms being urged yieldinglyjv away fromjeach otheand 'being provided lwith'outwardly` extending pin-retaining shoulders, a. locking" dog arranged betweensaiitl'arms and slidably supported by o-ne of them, and detents on said dog-supporting arm for retaining the locking dog in alternate positions of permitting the free ends or the arms to be and preventing them from being sprung inwardly. f

A 'Cotter pin comprising ai pairv if/fiesilient arms and a headr integrally connect-4 ing the arms at one end, kthe ifr'e'ee'ndsot the arms being'tirge'd yieldingly away from eacht other andbeing 'pr'ivided with outwardly-V extending pin-'retaining slioiildersf, saidI arms being substantially semitub'ular in lcrosfs'section and o'i'ni'ing between them anopning extending -lnngitudinallyoit they pin, a locking dog arrang/edwin said opening andslidably supported yby one of said arms, v'and means for retaining the'rlocking dog in alteriiate pos' ions' of permitting the free vends oi the arms' to be and Vvpreventing them 'from being spvriing inwardly. Y f

fi.' A c'otter pin formedof integral strip of resilient metal semi-tubular in crossfsectionand vcomprising a pair of arms and a head at one end of them, a locking dog arranged kbetween said arms and slidably sup-' ported by one' of thein, and det-ents on said: dog-supporting arm for retaining the locking dog in alternate positions of permitting the ends of the arms to be and preventing them from being sprung inwardly, the central= portion .of saidr head being provided with 'any opening for inserting tool to move i` the looking'gl dog to locking position.v v in testii'ifiony whereof, I sign my name/ FREDERIC'SOHALEFER. f

Vitne's'si Y EDWIN O. JOHNS.' 

